Atonement
by Nelarun
Summary: He was her guard, she was his charge. For their love they were cursed. Exile was their atonement. Freedom was their hope. Pain their cruel reality. The untold tale of Shijimi and her 'Tora'. A Twisted Truth's Story, one shot.


**Atonement  
A Twisted Truths Story  
**A Naruto fanfiction  
by Nelarun  
**Naruto © Kishimoto**

* * *

It was mid-morning and though the mark of a good servant was to remain out of sight, today there were no servants, no slaves nor any officials in the hallways or gardens. Only the guard and what few members of the Samurai and Guardians were out and even then they were doing their best to remain quiet and unobtrusive. The sense of unease had extended from the Palace and infected the greater city of Hishin – Capital of the Land of Fire – and everyone, slave and master alike were careful to keep their heads down, occasionally flicking their gaze to the walls that surrounded the Palace.

The Daimyo was furious – beyond furious in fact! He didn't even know how this had happened and yet it had! All the guards of the Ooku were supposed to be given a tea to repress any base urges and even then, their food was laced with the same herbs that made up the tea! Heads would roll – heads had already rolled (and he really needed to make sure the new kitchen team was in place, also he'd have to finish preparations to strip the Takeda of their lands and wealth over this and then new officers of the Guard would have to be selected!) but heads would continue to roll!

He stormed down the hallway, hearing the bells that rang out to announce his presence, the two Samurai guarding the door quickly opened the doors to the Ooku and just as quickly closed them. There were two women in the entrance hall, Juenji-dono – the woman in charge of the Ooku – was sitting in perfect seiza and bowed gracefully to him as the second woman didn't even shift. There the strumpet was: Shijimi, his favourite of all his concubines, the one he had named the first of all his wives was bowed, facing the door – facing _him_. She looked like a hedgehog, he thought, curled up and prostrated like that.

"Daimyo-sama you-"

"Get out," he spoke clearly. He could barely abide Juenji at the best of times and if her son wasn't head of the Clan that offered him the most support he would have removed her from the Ooku altogether.

"Daimyo-sama-"

"Juenji-dono, I gave you an order. Get out." The woman looked affronted for half a moment, anger clear in her eyes and the Daimyo narrowed his eyes slightly. The woman may be in charge of the other women in the Ooku but she was still a woman – still beholden to his will. Juenji bowed and stood, leaving the hall. He tapped one of the privacy seals a shinobi had carved for him and the carvings all around the room glowed once before settling into nothing more than cut and stained wood.

The room was deathly silent, she didn't dare move, didn't dare speak or even breath too loudly (no matter that she had been in this position since a little before dawn, was cold and that her muscles were trembling with pain.) Shijimi was the most beautiful of all his concubines, the most educated – a daughter of a high ranking samurai clan trained in painting and music and calligraphy and the naginata as well as the bow and arrow. She was calm and gentle, spoke softly and looked at him with such devotion that it had taken his breath away. _Lies, all of it!_ Oh how he _loathed _her. He wanted to slit her throat or better yet, give her a new blade, a _pure _blade untouched by blood – a blade that she could commit Jigai with, a blade with which she could purify her own sins.

No! He could not do that. That was easy, allowed her to reclaim her honour. It wasn't enough. He wanted, _needed _her to suffer. He studied her, tapping his fan against his chin, vaguely noting that her beauty – hidden as it as – was still able to temper his anger. He smiled faintly as a truly vicious thought crossed his mind before he ruthlessly crushed it. A deserving as such a punishment was, he could never throw her into prostitution; after all he was a jealous man and she was _his_ – he refused to share. Of course the woman would have to atone for her actions, she would be stripped of her rank and if he chose not to have her killed she would be exiled. His eyes caught one of the seals carved into the wall and another possibility – just as cruel as prostitution but far more amusing – hit him. Habit forced him to snap open his fan, concealing the smirk that crossed his face. Exiled from court, from her family, never allowed to send a message or write a letter, never allowed visitors except for _maybe_ he if he saw fit to look upon her with grace after he ordered her exiled from his court... Perhaps he would, after all she _was_ the most beautiful of all his women...

His decision made, the Daimyo turned to the one unsealed door in the room. "Nobanaga-san, the flogger,"

"Hai, Daimyo-sama," the Samurai who had cracked the door open slightly bowed and departed swiftly.

"Gozen-san, prepare the aviary for a message to the Hokage."

The second samurai turned and left as the Daimyo returned his gaze to the woman before him. "Prepare," he said softly and she straightened, head bowed and fingers fumbled at the cloth of her homongi, loosing the top enough for her to shrug out of the many layers, and shuffled around, presenting her pale back to him. He held his hand out as Nobanaga returned with the flogger and closed the door pointedly. He slipped his fan away and approached the woman, caressing her back and shoulders with the leather, using it to shift her hair over her shoulder – it wouldn't do to have the hair bloodied. "Shijimi, do you understand why I do this?"

Her voice was soft and sweet and fearful. "I do, Daimyo-sama."

"Then you should also know that I am going to enjoy this entire play. Shall we begin?" Her shoulders tensed as he removed the leather from her back in preparation to strike, anger in his eyes and strength in his hand.

oOo

She had been placed in a cell, her back torn and sore from her beating. The Daimyo had – for all his anger – gone easy on her and she had received far less than she deserved so she didn't weep too much, but the pain was terrible! She trembled as she shuffled forward and lowered herself as best as she could (resulting in something more reminiscent of a controlled collapse). Shijimi had never been alone before, from her earliest memory there had always been someone – her mother, a servant, a slave a pet even! Position, power, money, servants, slaves, animals and friends – all stripped from her. Her husband had ordered the deaths of her guards and retainers last evening and she had been unable to do anything more than listen. She had sat alone in a bare room – one window set high in the wall that let in what moonlight pierced through the smoke, determined to stay awake (unable to sleep) as she listened to what her actions had caused.

She didn't even know how or when it started. He had been a new retainer, a new guard. He was young and intelligent, beautiful and lithe. He reminded her of a cat. He had smiled when she said that – not to her, _never at her_, but she had seen the smile none-the-less. It wasn't long before the head of her guard returned to his lands and Entorama was set in his place. Teasing turned to friendship, friendship to desire and desire to ruin. Shijimi whimpered as his face swam unbidden before her eyes. What would her brave guard, her wonderful lover and best of friends look like now? Had he been beaten to death? Was his perfect body marred with stripes? Had he been crucified? Had he been given to the dogs or was he in this very gaol, waiting for his own _special_ brand of punishment? She wanted to mourn for him but she wouldn't – not until she knew his fate. Instead she mourned for what they had: smiles and friendship and...

"Shijimi-sama?" She blinked slowly as she heard a voice she never thought to hear again. Perhaps it was a trick – many of her husband's shinobi took almost perverse delight in the petty cruelties her husband ordered them to do. They enjoyed tormenting their prey, enjoyed cornering them, playing with them, rising their hope and then striking. "Shijimi-sama! Please speak! You are able to speak still?" The walls were thin but there were seals carved into them so it would be like trying to break through stone in order to put a hole in one. "Shijimi-sama!" After everything he must have suffered he was still concerned for her? Knowing everything that awaited him, he still wished to know of her welfare? She felt a sob start to tear from her throat and ruthlessly smothered it. She was still the first wife of the Daimyo – not the simpering dolt who had been recently installed as third wife.

"I am fine, Tora-san." There was a brief moment of silence and she feared that he had refused her pet name for him, until he chuckled.

"Shijimi-sama still insists on the name?"

"Hai, Tora-san." She smiled faintly. "My apologies."

"Never apologise to me, Shijimi-sama. I am not worth-"

"You are worth everything and more!" Shijimi interrupted sharply. With her husband she had been one of two hundred – first of two hundred perhaps, but one of many. With Tora there was only her. She felt special, she felt loved. And now? Now he was to be executed and she would commit Jigai to restore her honour... unless of course the Daimyo had another plan for her.

"Thank you, Shijimi-sama." She could almost see him sitting against the wall and painfully crawled to his side, a slight wall of barely an inch in thickness that separated her from the man she loved.

oOo

They were dragged before the entire court, every samurai and major merchant clan was represented, every official in the land – including the Hokage – had come. Shijimi was standing unrestrained in a rather beautiful kimono, her hair perfectly straight and caught up in a ponytail down her back; Entorama was dressed in a plain uniform and was shackled, the chains clinking softly as he bowed to the Daimyo and didn't move. Shijimi didn't stay bowed, straightening, her gaze on his feet, or perhaps on the floor before his feet. Out of curiosity he shifted his feet forward and was rewarded when Shijimi's chin dipped, averting her eyes to keep anything that was the Daimyo's out of sight. He smirked behind his fan and turned his attention to the guard. He was knelt on the floor and the Daimyo thought that yes, the guard did have many feline attributes. An almost evil giggle tried to cross his lips as he thought of what was in store for them, nodded and the Officer of the Court stepped forward.

"Takeda Shijimi, first wife of the Daimyo of the Fire County, Lady of the orphans and Patroness of the Arts, you have been charged with and found guilty of adultery. As such you have been stripped of your position in the Court, your personal wealth shall be confiscated and disseminated among the orphanages you once kept, and you shall be exile to Konohagakure no Sato, the village hidden amongst the leaves. Your exile shall be for life, you shall be permitted no contact with the world beyond the walls of the village. The Shinobi shall be your gaolers." Shijimi bowed and mentally laughed a wretched laugh – the dishonoured woman being gaoled in a village of those with no honour... how appropriate.

"Entorama, Guardsman of the Ooku, you have been charge and found guilty of seducing Takeda Shijimi, the first wife of the Daimyo. You shall be executed as the sun sets; the method of execution has been decided at one hundred lashes." Shijimi wanted to whimper, wanted to plead that her Tora gain a merciful death but she wouldn't. She would not disrespect the Daimyo – nor bring more shame upon her father – so openly by acting in such a manner. As much as Shijimi wanted to, she did not even turn her head to Entorama as the guardsmen of the Court grabbed him and hauled him away, didn't look back – not even when the Shinobi fell in behind her.

"Unless," the Daimyo suddenly spoke, his fan still covering half his face, "-my dear Shijimi would care to speak for him?"

Shijimi didn't dare looked at the Daimyo in surprise; what game was he playing? Why was he tormenting her so? "Shijimi?" the Daimyo pressed, humour clear in his voice, and she took a deep breath, lifting her face to his, ignoring the shifting that sounded at her presumptive action. "What is it you have to say?"

"I request that Daimyo-sama spare guardsman Entorama's life. I was the one who seduced him not-"

"Shijimi-sama! Don't lie for me!" This time she did look back as Entorama struggled to his feet, attempting to throw off the guards who were holding him. "Daimyo-sama! Shijimi-sama did not- _let go of me_! Shijimi-sama is innocent in-" He was struck across the face by a heavy object as the back of his knees were kicked in and Shijimi turned back to the Daimyo seeing cruel satisfaction in his gaze. Amusement shone as he saw a hint of her despair through the cracks in her normally flawless mask. He was enjoying this – enjoying their torment.

"So you love each other." The room fell still. He didn't need them to answer, he could read it in their eyes. "Shijimi?" She dropped her gaze, the image of a contrite and obedient woman. "Come now Shijimi," the Daimyo waved his fan around, leaning forward. "The very worst that could happen is that I allow you to join your precious 'Tora' in death." She glanced at Entorama who was blinking spots out of his eyes but still shook his head, pleading with her to hold her tongue. "Tell me, Shijimi, Do you love him: a guardsman with no name, no rank and no money?"

Before her, her hands were clasped together to halt the trembling and were going white as a result. He wanted to laugh at how easily manipulated she was, at how easy it was to get her to feel rage and helplessness and anger, at how easy it was to get her to do what he wanted her to do. She lifted her chin once more and looked him straight in the eyes. "I do, Daimyo-sama."

He smirked behind his fan, his gaze turning to the guardsman. "And do you, guardsman, love Takeda Shijimi, daughter of the Takeda Clan, first wife of the Daimyo?" His gaze fixed to Shijimi who was now looking at the mural over his shoulder.

"No, Daimyo-sama. I fell in love with Shijimi-sama, a lonely woman with an incredibly sharp mind who can out shoot any man here." Shijimi was blinking back tears now, a fragile smile tugging at her lips. The Daimyo laughed.

"You amuse me, guardsman," he announced and everyone exchanged glances as he snapped his fan shut, tapping his cheek. "You know I've just thought of a marvellous punishment, Shijimi, I think you'll like it! How about we have Entorama-san join you in your exile! How do you like that, Shijimi?" She was staring at him in horror and he smirked – not even trying to hide it. "Am I not kind towards you in your time of despair, Shijimi?" She was stiff, knowing that there was a horrific catch. His eyes narrowed and she whispered her agreement. He nodded, the smirk appearing once more before mock concern crossed his face. "Of course these forms shall not do."  
A tear slipped down her face as she trembled, unable to move, knowing that something truly terrible was waiting for her and Entorama. She wanted to sob as he nodded and one of the Shinobi standing behind her grabbed her hair, setting a blade to it and cutting through it, her hair hovered above her shoulders as it hadn't done since she was a child. "Hokage, I believe you've arranged for everything?"

"I have, Daimyo-sama." The Sandaime stepped forward, the two members of his entourage still kneeling behind him followed him, another tear slipped down her face as he levelled a cool gaze on her. "Senju Mito, wife of the Shodaime and her apprentice and my own student, Jiraiya of the Toads, will take care of matters." The woman turned a blank face onto Shijimi who wanted to run away and throw herself from the highest tower, anything would be better than what the shinobi could do to her. She knew of Senju Mito, an Uzumaki by birth, her exotic hair the colour of maple leaves in the autumn, was piled on her head. She was a seal master – _the _seal master – of Konohagakure.

Shijimi took a step back as the woman approached her, one hand disappearing into a voluminous sleeve and withdrawing an empty ink pot, a brush and a blade. She took one more step back only to be caught by the Shinobi, the one on her left holding her arm out. "Stop, please." Shijimi whispered, turning her head to see Entorama trying to struggle away from the half wild looking boy with fierce white hair and red tear marks. The Senju didn't appear to have heard her as she ran the blade over Shijimi's wrist and collected the blood into the ink pot. "What are you doing?"

"As Daimyo-sama orders; there will be considerably less pain if you refrain from struggling."

Shijimi felt more tears slip down her face as the Senju untied her obi, casting the fabric aside and removing the homongi her victim was wearing. _Not in front of the court, please not in front of the court_!

Entorama suddenly shouted in pain and she saw the boy peeling a seal off of him with the word 'shock' written on there. "Oh come on, that was a basic shock tag and you're already out? Civilians..."

"Jiraiya," Mito spoke sharply as she dipped her brush into the collected blood and started writing the arcane symbols onto the woman before her.

"Hai, Mito-sensei." The boy looked almost sulky as he ordered the guards to remove the shackles and cut off his clothes, writing his own sealing array on the man. Shijimi was mortified but was being firmly restrained from moving and had nothing to cover herself with even if she could move. When she was finished, the Senju walked over to study the seal her apprentice had written and nodded, walking back to the front, gesturing to the Shinobi to step back, the two holding Shijimi hauled her back towards Entorama who was slowly coming back to his senses. She watched as the Senju reached into her sleeve and pulled out a rather large scroll – one that was far too large for her sleeve – and flicked the scroll which unravelled on the floor as more arcane writings and diagrams were revealed. The Senju then walked towards them, accepting a second scroll from her apprentice and flicked it back towards the Daimyo, the central circles of the scrolls overlapped perfectly (and despite her fear, for one moment Shijimi felt jealous over such a feat) creating a perfect 'Juu' kanji from the two scrolls.

Shijimi was placed on the Eastern circle and Entorama on the Western circle. Jiraiya took the circle at the South, facing the Daimyo as the Senju took the Northern circle. "Suggested methods for dealing with the pain include screaming like a little girl, wailing and sobbing and then falling into a pain coma," the boy chirped happily and Shijimi trembled, looking across as Entorama, He smiled at her and she felt another tear escape but managed a smile of her own. One way or another they would be together. She mouthed that she was sorry and he shook his head, mouthing that he loved her. The Daimyo looked amused and she looked away for a time before she looked at him and nodded, mouthing that she loved him too. The two shinobi formed a curious hand seal and bowed their heads, power whipping through the room, stirring clothes and papers, knocking hats off heads and the breath out of people; it stopped in the moments before the Senju opened her eyes and called for the seal to activate.

Shijimi was certain that she had never felt such pain in her life before. Her entire body felt as though it was ablaze, her skin was writhing, bones shifting, muscles crawling. She wanted to collapse, wanted to run away but couldn't. What was this woman doing to her? What had she done?! And then it was over, the rushing of power was silenced and all that was left was the ringing of two screams. Her throat was raw... Though it hurt so much to move, she looked up at the dais and saw the Officer of the Court staring at them in horror, amusement in the eyes of the daimyo and satisfaction in the eyes of the Senju. Slowly Shijimi turned her head towards Entorama, wanting to know what had been done to them and she let out a yelp of horror. Entorama was on his side, his eyes showed so much pain and she saw not a man but a cat. A _cat_! She turned to the Daimyo and tried to stop the sobs that desperately wanted to be heard. All of this was so unfair! Death would have been better than this! Jiraiya left his circle and picked the animal up, looking him over and nodding before he walked towards her, careful to keep his eyes on her face as he dropped the cat into her arms. Two more scrolls were produced and laid out, perfectly overlapping the centre circles, the scrolls now resembled two 'juu' kanji overlapped on a diagonal. Unlike the original two scrolls, the new scrolls didn't contain circles apart from the middle circle, only arrows. The Senju nodded and Jiraiya grabbed her arm, hauling her into the centre circle as the Senju found a pot of black ink and a new brush, drawing a new set of seals onto both cat and woman. This time when the seal was activated, there was no pain, only a glow as the ink lit up and then disappeared, and then something inside of her squirmed and lifted before it settled once more.

Before she fully understood what was happening, she found herself hauled off the scrolls, Entorama ripped out of her hands (and why was she suddenly feeling anxious about that?) and bundled into a plain kimono. Shijimi frowned and accepted Entorama once more, the anxiety leaving her and suddenly she froze and looked back down at herself. There was no blood or ink staining the fabric, and the kimono wasn't beautiful or flattering. A change had happened to her as well. She was horrifically overweight. Shijimi looked up at the Daimyo in horror as the shinobi collected their gear and the Senju and Jiraiya returned to stand in the Hokage's shadow. "Yes," the Daimyo nodded. "Your true forms have been sealed away. Knowing Mito-san as I do, I expect the seal to last until one of you is dead." She held Entorama closer and couldn't tear her eyes away from the Daimyo's. "Of course I am not an unreasonable man and encouraged Mito-san to write a release from the curse in which both you and your... _pet_... come out alive. One of you must leave the other, get far enough away and you'll be restored and what's more you have my blessing to live out the rest of your lives together." He smirked as she bowed her head, tears slipping onto Entorama's fur. "Get out of my sight."

oOo

Tora was _not_ amused, he was looking around the house they had been given and she smiled warmly at him. "It's small, but it's only the two of us," He yowled and she sighed, gently picking him up and settling him on her shoulders. "Besides, Tora-san, it's not like we can't break this curse." She looked at him and he glared at her. "We were told that all we need to do is get far enough away. I am unable to leave, and even if I could... well." she laughed and scratched behind his ear. "I'm unable to run." His glare lessened. "Cats... cats can go anywhere." He purred softly and licked her cheek. She laughed and set him down.

He was running, racing through the shadows. His heart was pounding. He had gotten out of the village and was running. It hurt, it really hurt. Each step he took made him panic, made him want to turn and run back to Shijimi and honestly he would happily do that, each step made his thoughts get more and more clouded with Shijimi: her smile, her laugh, the way she scowled when he did something silly, the way she could shoot better and faster than any man he'd ever met. She screamed first during the sealing, she was naked and screaming and he wasn't able to go to her and protect her. She was screaming. Screaming for him! He turned and ran straight back to the village, tearing through the forest, past the Chuunin manning the gates and into the house. Shijimi was sobbing. _Sobbing_! He nuzzled her and she held him, her tears drenching his fur, her arms soothing his anxiety.

oOo

The Hokage and his Council looked up as Shijimi entered the room, her voice cool and sharp as she stepped past the ANBU on the gate duty. Tora was in her arms as she stepped forward. "What did you do?" It was clear that Shijimi was past any sort of niceties.

"Shijimi-sama, how nice of you to-"

"Hokage-sama, do not patronise me. What did you do?"

Her gaze was not on him but on Mito. Mito stood gracefully. "Shijimi-sama, perhaps we should-"

"No, tell me what happened! Why can we not be separated?"

Mito smiled a smile that she recognised – a smile her husband had worn on more than one occasion. "You cannot believe that breaking your curse would be easy." The Shinobi council looked like they were enjoying the pain, the horror she could not mask. "No matter where you run, you will never be able to leave the other. Shijimi-sama, you have an additional curse that ties you to this village."

"The curse will-"

"The curse will only be broken when you can ignore all your instincts, push through the pain."

"And then-"

"And then, you will return to the beauty of the Court and Entorama will no longer be cat."

oOo

Shijimi was firmly escorted out of the room and back towards her house where she sat on the verandah, staring at the flowers as she clung to Tora. He pressed a paw to her cheek and meowed softly before he nuzzled her and she nodded, her eyes going determined. "Go, Entorama." The cat took off towards the Eastern Gate as she walked towards the Western gate. She chattered quite happily to the young man who manned the gate, about many topics: weather, weapons, politics (all the while trying desperately to ignore the fear that was almost consuming her as she worried for Tora) and didn't stop until they were approached by a young man, Nara Yoshika she believed, who firmly but politely requested that she come with him.

She was standing in the mission room, waiting and watching anxiously even as the fear lessened; eventually a young woman with the red eyes of the Yuuki and a man with the features of the Morino stepped forward and handed Tora back to her. She clung to him, feeling intense relief hit her as she held the cat. Shijimi didn't usually cry, but right now, her relief and anger at the world and herself was so strong that tears were slipping down her face as she lifted Tora up and left the room, burying her face in his soft fur.

_"Next time," she whispered softly as she looked up at the ceiling, petting the fur of the cat that lay on top of her. "We'll both do better next time."  
_

oOo

Year after year the two remained permanent fixtures of the village. They were unchanging, non-ageing, cursed beings in a village of the damned. They watched as wars were fought, as champions rose up and were felled; they watched as the Kage changed, then changed back, each time they attempted to escape from their curse they made it further and further, until Genin teams started to catch Tora and bring him back – the children feeling pity for the cat who was almost smothered in the too tight embrace of the woman who they returned him too, but never understanding the intense relief and anguish the two felt at their reunion.

_They were Shijimi and Tora._

_For their love they were cursed;_  
_Exile was their atonement;_  
_Freedom was their hope;_  
_Pain, their cruel reality..._

* * *

**N.b: I am aware that the Ooku was staffed and inhabited only by women, the only men who entered it were those who entered with the Shogun or Daimyo, however this is set in the Naruto-verse so I'm just going along with what I see as possible changes.**

**For those unsure of what the Ooku is (and can't be bothered to google it) the Ooku is similar to the Ottoman's Harem (traditional usage of the word, not modern). The Harem (or Ooku) was the court of the women, the wife and concubines, female members of court – daughters, mother, female servants, musicians, slaves – resided in the Ooku. The Ooku was set up in the Edo period and many of these women lived their entire lives behind the walls of the Ooku (they could be granted permission to leave the Ooku). Initially there was only one passage linking the palace to the Ooku – a hallway the Shogun (or powerful Daimyo) and any men he allowed to accompany him would traverse to the 'ringing of bells' that would announce his presence. In later years however, a second passage was added as a way to escape the Ooku from fire or natural disaster.**

**Punishments: Well where do we start with this. The Japanese were just as creative as other cultures when it came to their punishments and just as cruel. They had many punishments ranging from exile, banishment, stripping of power and wealth, flogging, beating, beheading (note – beheading was always used for commoners as to fully remove one's head was considered a disgrace!), seppuku (jigai is the female version of seppuku – the woman would slit her throat and many women even tied themselves against a post so they would not dishonour themselves in death by falling forward), crucifixion – not the Roman 'cross' form... look to Rukia's almost execution in Bleach to get an idea as to what their form of the Roman 'cross' looked like, prostitution for a set period of years, gaol time, boiling in water/oil...**

**Atonement: Now this is fascinating as well! Atonement is always issued to any who disrespect her husband or the head of the clan – the punishments ranged from a beating, shunning, exile, banishment, removal of fingers/other body parts, death and upon enduring the punishment, the sins were cleansed.**

**Slavery in Japan was not entirely common; at the peak it is estimated that 5% of the population was in slavery (for comparison, that's lower than the percentage of unemployed in Australia), they worked farms or had domestic duties and by the time the Edo period came around it was banned outright (I mention the Edo period because that was when the Ooku was set up), however as I'm only using RW Japan and indeed Asia as the base for the Naruto-verse, I'm taking certain liberties with history and so slavery in my Naruto-verse is common practice and vital to the Continent's economy.**


End file.
